Sexual Harassment At Work: See The Injustice Done To This Young Woman For Reporting Her Abuser
Damning statistics reveal the degree to which women are subjected to sexual harassment at work, unconfined by geography or a specific industry. The harasser can be the employee’s boss, supervisor, manager, customer, coworker, supplier, peer, or vendor.
A South African woman Phumelele T. Dlamini recently took to twitter to narrate how she was sexually harassed by a colleague at her place of work ‘Nestle‘ and what happened after she reported the abuse to their head. According to Phumelele, she was fired after reporting the case.
In her words, the top shots at work didn’t like the fact that she reported the sexual harassment, which makes her believe they had a hand in her dismissal.
Below is how she narrated her story…
”I was sexually harassed by a colleague at @nestleSouth Africa where I worked. It went on for months until one day I put on my big girl pants and said enough is enough. I reported it using the internal channels at work. ALL THE DIRECTORS heard about my story
The employees also knew about it, others even said that they too were harassed by the same guy but would not dare report him because he is the Group Employee Relations Manager. The guy was a known offender, even the guy who watched the company cameras knew about his abusive ass.
SEE ALSO: Sexual Harassment At Workplace: Nigerian Women Narrate Their Experiences And It’s Worth Reading
However, He is the go to guy for ALL CCMA cases for the entire Group therefore was immuned & protected. I Thobile Shiba – Dlamini soldiered on and reported the guy, despite advise from my own husband not to go against a corporate giant.
Babes u WILL NOT WIN against these guys, they are too big, we are little fish, don’t pick a fight with them, it won’t end well for you, but I will support u, no matter what you decide to do”. Despite the stern warning from a trusted advisor I continued with my quest for JUSTICE.
I felt abused, Disrespected, worthless and insignificant. I was very angry. I was a SNR HRBP at Nestle Head Office SA, a Global Multinational, with a Vision, Mission, and Values. A company that is meant to be fair and treat ALL EMPLOYEES with fairness and Respect.
A company that focuses on Marketing to MOTHERS & KIDS as they sell:Nestum, @kitkat_ph, Nan, Noodles, Kit-kat, Barone , @Aero, @NESCAFE& many more, a Company that claims to understand our social dynamics andinequalities of the country. This Company picked sides.
They told me to TRUST the Internal Systems. They told me they would deal with this matter internally. They told me NOT to speak to anyone while they watched the perpetrator lobbying for support in the office, moving from desk 2 desk, canvassing 4 support and prepping witnesses.
I turned to be the laughing stock in the department, my colleagues would whisper about me and make unpleasant jokes as I walked pass them in the corridors. I reported all this and the Company did nothing about it. Instead they did what they called a fact finding exercise.
SEE ALSO: For Speaking Up In The Face Of Sexual Harassment, See The Injustice Done To Princess Alora
When the first full day session we did, did not produce “their desired result” they changed consulting firms and hired a well know law firm – Bowlman Gilfillan to conduct another fact finding exercise. Once this was completed they then told me to go ahead and report this matter externally. I therefore went to the CCMA and reported the matter as per advise by my then boss.
As soon as my boss got the notice from the CCMA that I had reported a case, I was suspended with immediate effect, I was escorted out of the build by the HEAD OF Security like a commonCriminal. I was later FIRED for spreading malicious lies about my fellowcolleague.
The case went on at the CCMA for over a year. I had to changemy lawyers after finding out that they had been compromised andneutralized by @NestleSA.
I hired new lawyers, Nestle also got to them as well. The long and short of it is, I lost the case, my lawyers through the case right at the end of the proceedings. Nestle SA won on technicality. I was left ….Jobless, broke, Broken, depressed and feeling worthless.
YES, NESTLE BROKE ME!!!! I was seeing both a psychologist & a psychiatrist. I had NO MONEY, I couldn’t get a job anywhere because Nestle gave me bad references. Technically my life was OVER. Thanx to my strong support system, My sisters, my Husband, My Mom, my Bother and my kids.
I Pulled through, I am alive today to tell my story, and I’m still standing. To all the ladies who have been abused, harassed, raped, Kidnapped etc…..STAND STRONG. Believe your story, You know what happened, Your truth will never change.
I was sexually harassed by a colleague at @nestle South Africa where I worked. It went on for months until one day I put on my big girl pants and said
enough is enough. I reported it using the internal channels at work. ALL
THE DIRECTORS heard about my story…A THREAD!
— Phumelele T. Dlamini (@phumelele_t) September 17, 2019